Cleanup Begins After Overnight Storms In Pittsburgh Area

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Some are spending their Fourth of July cleaning up from storms that rumbled through our area during the night.

They sparked fires, brought down trees and knocked out power to hundreds of homes.

The overnight skies were charged with electrical energy – much of it touching down and wreaking havoc for emergency crews.

In Duquesne, firefighters battled flames and Mother Nature's wrath.

"We had a double garage fully engulfed," Duquesne Fire Department Assistant Chief Andrew Fedor said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Lightning has not been ruled out.

But as the sun rose, it became quickly apparent there was more damage than just some lightning strikes.

Janet Knerr, of Whitehall, told KDKA-TV she had a rude awakening.

"The fireman said, 'You better come out a big tree went through your car,'" she told KDKA-TV.

One homeowner did not want to appear on camera, but pictures tell the tale.

"Hole in the roof, all the lines are down and I got a 99-year-old mother just hope they get over here to repair the wires."

Not far away, a massive tree blocked Old Boston Road, knocking down wires.

But back on Country Club Road, for Janet Knerr, it's time to clean up and keep the chin up.

"The heck with it," she said. "Everybody's fine. What are you gonna do?"

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